Device for sharpening scissors and like cutting implements



Nov. 29, 1938. w. T. MARTIN 2,133,552

DEVICE FORSHARPENING SCISSORS AND LIKE CUTT ING IMPLEMENTS" Filed Nov. 5, 1957 zF/z 26 2 Patented Nov. 29, 1938 UNITED STATES DEVICE FOR SHARPENING SCISSORS AND LIKE CUTTING IMPLEMENTS William T. Martin, Tampa, Fla.

Application November 3, 1937, Serial No. 172,603

3 Claims.

I Among the objects of the invention may be noted the provision of a device for sharpening scissors and the like cutting implements having a blade or blades requiring a straight cutting edge, which is simple and inexpensive in manufacture, rugged and durable in use, and which is highly efiicient in operation; the provision of a device of the above character which is so designed as to preserve the straight cutting edge of the blade or like part of the implement being sharpened; the provision of a sharpener which will accommodate cutting blades of varying thicknesses; and the provision of a sharpening device incorporating a sharpening element and a holder therefor, in which the element may readily be inserted into and removed from the holder, thus to provide for replacement or interchangeability of the sharpening element with respect to its holder.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out in connection with the following analysis of this invention wherein is illustrated an embodiment of the invention in detail.

In the drawing Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a sharpening device in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through the device illustrated in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is illustrative of a blank from which the 5 holder for the sharpening element is fabricated.

Referring now to the drawing wherein like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views, the sharpening device of the present invention is provided by a sharpen- 40 ing element and a holder therefor, of which the holder, generally designated i ii, is fabricated from a sheet metal blank as shown in Fig. 3 to provide open top box-like structure having a bottom I l, upstanding front and rearwalls l2, it, respectively, and end walls l4 and E5.

The holder it is adapted to receive a sharpening element 29 which may be constituted by abrasive material cast or otherwise formed into a block for insertion into the holder, or introduced into the holder in plastic form, there to dry and harden. Or the sharpening element may be constituted by a metal member having its upper surface formed to provide a sharpening surface. The dimensions of the sharpening element are substantially the dimensions of the holder bottom H, and element 2B is arranged to lie against the bottom I I of the holder. By reason of the springy nature of the sheet metal from which the holder is constituted, the ends it, i 5 may flex relatively outwardly as the block-like sharpening element is positioned in the holder, and the ends are provided with element securing means, in the nature of a series of indentations. 2! spaced from the bottom of the holder slightly in excess of the depth of the sharpening element. The arrangement is such that the sharpening element may be pressed home against the bottom I l of the holder, with the ends thereupon springing back to initial position and indentations 2i therein acting to secure the block 26 within the holder. Where the abrasive material is introduced in plastic form, the indentations 2| serve in similar manner to secure the hardened material in the holder.

Each of the front and rear walls l2, l3 of the holder are provided with a plurality of blade receiving slots, the slots of the front wall l2 being designated 25a, 25b, 25c, and the slots in the rear wall it being designated 25a, 25b, and 260. While three sets of blade receiving slots are shown, it will be understood that this is for purpose of illustration only.

The arrangement is such that slots 25a, 25a of the walls l2, it are similarly dimensioned and are arranged in alignment. In like manner slots 25b and 26?) are similarly dimensioned and aligned, as are slots 25c, 260.

In order that the sharpener shall accommodate implement blades of varying thicknesses, the width of the slots is stepped; that is to say, the aligned slots 25a, 26a are wider than slots 25b, 26b, and these latter slots are wider than the slots 25c, 260. Thus the blade of the scissors or like implement to be sharpened may be inserted in whichever set of aligned slots will comfortably receive it.

In order to accommodate for the bevel cross section of a blade, such as scissors blade, one side of the several slots is inclined or flared outwardly with respect to the other side thereof. Thus, by reference to the drawing, it will be seen that the right edge of the several slots is substantially inclined to the left edge, whereby a blade entering the slot through its open top, with the blade edge in down position, may be suitably received in the slot despite its irregular cross section.

It will be further noted from the drawing that the leftwise edges of all of the slots are parallel and, while shown in right angular relation to the sharpening surface of element 20, they may be slightly inclined with reference thereto, thus to present the beveled cutting edge to the sharpening surface. It is intended that the inside or straight-face of the blade being sharpened shall be held against the leftwise edges of the aligned slots which receive it and, to indicate that this placement should obtain under all conditions, the end wall 14 of the holder may carry suitable indicia such as the word Front stamped therein to indicate to the user the proper placement of the blade in the sharpener.

By reference to the drawing it will further be seen that the depth of the several slots is such that the base portions thereof extend below the upper or sharpening surface of the sharpening element 20. By this arrangement long life of the device is assured even though there has occurred substantial wear of the sharpening element such as to cause the formation of grooves thereacross.

In use of the device as described, the blade of the scissors or like implement Whose cutting edges are to be sharpened is inserted in whichever pair of aligned slots that will receive it, with the blade so disposed that its cutting edge will contact the sharpening surface of the element 2!], with the inner or straight face of the blade disposed against the leftwise edge of the receiving slots. The blade is thereupon pressed down on the sharpening surface of the element and either the blade stroked back and forth across the element, or the sharpening device is stroked back and forth across the blade. As the sharpening element has substantial width, the straight edgeof the blade is suitably supported thereon and the straightness of the edge preserved during the sharpening action.

As many changes could be made in carrying out the above construction without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. A scissors sharpener comprising a sharpening element and a holder therefor, the holder being of sheet metal construction and having a substantially rectangular bottom wall and upstanding front, rear and end walls extending therefrom, the sharpening element being rectangular in shape and substantially coextensive with said bottom wall and being supported thereon to provide an upper sharpening face extending between said front, rear and end walls, at least the front and rear walls being of substantially greater height than that of said sharpening element, and said front and rear walls being provided with sets of aligned and upwardly opening blade-receiving slots.

2. A scissors sharpener comprising a sharpening element and a holder therefor, the holder being of sheet metal construction and having a substantially rectangular bottom wall and upstanding front, rear and end walls extending therefrom, the sharpening element being rectangular in shape and substantially coextensive with said bottom wall and being supported thereon to provide an upper sharpening face extending between said front, rear and end walls, the end walls having provisions for securing the sharpening element against the bottom wall, at least the front and rear walls being of substantially greater height than that of the sharpening element, and the front and rear walls being provided with sets of aligned and upwardly opening blade-receiving slots.

3. A scissors sharpener comprising a sharpening element and a holder therefor, the holder being of sheet metal construction and having a substantially rectangular bottom wall and upstanding front, rear and end walls extending therefrom, the sharpening element being rectangular in shape and substantially coextensive with said bottom wall and being supported thereon to provide an upper sharpening face extending between said front, rear and end walls, the end walls having provisions for securing the sharpening element against the bottom wall, at least the front and rear Walls being of substantially greater height than that of the sharpening element, and the front and rear Walls being provided with sets of aligned and upwardly opening blade-receiving slots, said slots extending downwardly to a level substantially below that of the upper face of the sharpening element.

WILLIAM T. MARTIN. 

